1. Field of the Invention
The Present invention relates to devices used with vascular access ports.
The present invention relates to vascular access ports implanted under the skin of a patient, and, more particularly, to a tool for stabilizing the vascular access port while a hypodermic needle is being withdrawn from the port.
2. Prior Developments
A vascular access port comprises a reservoir surgically implanted in the subcutaneous tissue, below a patient's skin, to facilitate medical access to a blood vessel (e.g., a vein or artery). The reservoir has a fluid connection with a catheter tube leading to the blood vessel, whereby a fluid path is established between the reservoir and the blood vessel.
The implanted reservoir has a relatively thick elastomeric wall, or septum, facing the patient's skin, such that a hypodermic needle (or syringe needle) can be inserted through the skin and elastomeric wall, for withdrawing fluid from the reservoir, or injecting fluid into the reservoir.
The implanted vascular access port can be used to intermittently deliver liquid medications to the associated blood vessel, or to withdraw blood from the blood vessel. Such vascular access ports are usually employed in cases where the patient requires infusion therapy for an extended period of time, e.g., six months or more. They are surgically removed when no longer needed, or in the event that the patient finds them to be uncomfortable, or impractical, for daily self use.
One problem associated with implanted vascular access ports is that the elastomeric septum on the reservoir needs to be relatively thick, in order to seal against the needle side surface, and to close the needle opening when the needle is withdrawn from the vascular access port. During the process of withdrawing the needle out of the elastomeric septum, the septum material tends to grip the side surface of the needle so that the reservoir tends to be pulled along with the needle.
As a reaction to the needle sticking action, the nurse (or patient) exerts a greater pulling force on the hypodermic, such that the needle suddenly breaks away from the elastomeric septum. The sudden movement of the hypodermic needle can produce an involuntary movement of the hypodermic needle back toward the patient's or nurse's skin, and a possible penetration of the needle back into the skin surface. Such penetration can be dangerous (infections), as well as, painful and annoying.
The pulling action on the reservoir is somewhat disconcerting to the patient, in that the patient may feel that the reservoir is becoming detached from the subcutaneous tissue, thus requiring corrective surgery to restitch the reservoir to the tissue. Any shifting, or movement, of the implanted reservoir, is undesirable.